Bottle-handling means



pril 3, 1928.

S. C. GILBERT BOTTLE HANDLING MEANS Filed Dec. 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l @QQQG l witness Yea flue vamp 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. '27, 1925 A h, :k

III/III April 3, 1.92s.

witness Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES SIDNEY C. GILBERT, OF JACKSON, OHIO.

BOTTLE-HANDLING MEANS.

Application filed December 27, 1926.

The present (llSClOSlllG-Oif the invention relates to a refrigerator for bottled drinks, in which a plurality of passages are pr.o vided to contain rows of bottles filled with drinks of different flavors, each passage being provided with an accessible end for re.- moval of bottles, and with an inlet, it being intended that each time a cold bottle is re moved from a passage, another bottle shall be inserted through the inlet.

It is one object of the invention to make novel provision for forcing the passage-contained bottles away from the inlet, toward the outlet, whenever another bottle is to be inserted through said inlet, thus making room'for the bottle to be inserted,- and insuring thatitshall not descend uponab ottle already in the passage.

Another object of the invention is to provideacover for the inlet, which cover is normally closed, andto'make provision whereby this cover may be opened and the passagecontained bottles simultaneously forced away from the inlet toward the outlet.

Yet another aim is to provide a novel construct-ion in which the cover when closedyis in the path along which a bottle to be inserted, may be forced by hand, causing the bottle to strike the cover and move it to open position, at the same time effecting'the desired movementof the passage-contained bottle away from the inlet.

Yet another aim is to provide a novel construction and arran ement of parts, whereby the insertion of a bottle into the passage through its inlet, serves to restore the bottle-forcing means to its normal position, in readiness to act when the nextbottle is to be inserted, and in the present disclosure, restoring of said forcing means to its normal position, serves also to automatically close the cover for the inlet.

Yet another object is to provide a single, obtuse-angular lever whose upper arm is connected with the cover of the inlet and whose lower arm serves as the means for forcing the bottles toward the outlet when another bottle is to be inserted, said lower arm of the lever also constituting means in the downward path of, the ingoing bottle, for restoring the lever-t0 its normal position and at'the same time closing the cover.

A still further aim is to provide a construction in which it is impossible to add another bottle to a predetermined number of bottles in the container, until one of such Serial No. 157,354.

number has first been removed, making room for the additional bottleto be inserted.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in thenovel subject matter hereinafter described claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Fig. .1 is a toppl-an viewof one ofthe many forms of refrigerators which may be constructed'to embody my invention.

F 1g. 2 is a vertical sectional view .on .line 22.of Fig-1, showing thenormalposition ofparts.

Fig. 3 is a view similarito Fig.l2 but,illustrating themanner inwhich the row of bottles inthepassageis advanced, after one bottle has been removed and anotherisbemg inserted. a

Big. l is a. horizontal sectional view on :line 44 ofFig. 2.

The invention-has herein been illustrated and describedm connection with a refriger- -.ator.. and forthe purpose of handling bottles. It is to-be understood however that contamers'of-other: sorts could in some instancesbe handled'withthe invention and that the latteris not necessarily used with a refrigerator. .Moreover, ,it is to be understood that while the details herein disclosed maybe followed, numerous variationsmay bemade within the scopeiof the invention as claimed, iffound-desirable or advisable.

A. refrigerator R has been shown embodying an ice chamberC :above .a base portion B, said base portion projecting forwardly beyond the ice "chamber and having aphirality of doorszD forgiving access to; parah so that by standing abottle .uponthis. cover C and forcing it rearwardly against one of the covers 5, the latter willbe forcedto the openposition of Fig.3. Novel provision is made whereby this movement of any cover 5 to open position, will automatically advance the row of bottles-bin-the subjacent passage P, toward the outlet door D of such passage, it being of course understood that the cover 5 is not opened to permit another bottle to be inserted through the throat T,

the rear side of each throat T and is fulcrumed between its ends as indicated at7. The upper arm of this lever is connected withthe adjacent cover 5, for instance, by positioning it in a groove 8 in the lower side of said cover. When this cover stands closed as in Fig. 2, the upper arm of the lever 6 inclines forwardly across the throat T and the lower arm of said lever then stands vertically behind the-row of bottles Z) in the passage P. We will now assume that the foremost of thisrow of. bottles is removed and sold, and that another bottle is to be inserted into the passage. To accomplish this, thebottle to be introduced, is rearwardly forced against the cover 5, moving the latter to the position of Fig. 3. This movement of the cover rocks the lever 6 about its fulcrum 7, causing its lower arm to forwardly force the row of bottles.b, making room for the additional bottle to be inserted. This bottle is now dropped into the mouth-M and as it descends through the throat T, it strikes the lower arm of the lever 6, which arm then declines forwardly in the lower portion of said throat. By striking this lower lever arm, the bottle swings the lever again to the normal posi tion of Fig. 2, effecting closing of the cover 5 and atthe same time positioning the bottle-forcing means, that is the lower arm of the lever, in readiness to again act, the nex time another bottle is to be inserted, after removalof the foremost of the row. In this connection, attention is. invited to the fact that when the passage P is full of bottles as in Fig. 2, the lever 6 cannot swing about its fulcrum 7 and consequently the cover 5 cannot be forced open. This insures that no bottle can be dropped into the throat T upon the rearmost of the row of bottles, which would in all probability cause breakage.

The cover 5 may be opened and another bottle inserted only after one or more bottles have been removed through the door D.

The present disclosure of the invention is exceptionally simple and inexpensive, yet is efiicient, reliable, and in every way desirable. On accoimt of these existing advantages, the general construction herein disclosed is preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may of course be made, as here-- inbefore stated.

What is claimed is 1. In a bottle handling machine, a passage to contain a plurality of bottles, said passage having an end accessible for removal substantially vertlcal, obtuse-angular lever 6 1S dlsposed at of bottles and being provided at a remote point with a bottle inlet, a support along which a bottle may be moved to said inlet, a slidable cover for said inlet disposed in the path along-which the bottle is moved on angular lever at the rear side of said throat and fulcrumed between its ends, the lower arm of said lever being normally engaged with the rear-most of the row of bottles whereas the upper arm of said lever then inclines forwardly across the throat, whereby rearward forcing of said upper 'arm' incident to inserting another bottle through the throat, will forwardly force the lower arm to advance the row of bottlestoward said accessible end of the passage, said lower arm then occupying a forwardly declined position in the downward path of the bottle beinginserted through the throat, whereby this bottle will strike said lower arm and restore the lever to its normal position and a normally closed cover for the mouth of said throat rearwardly slidable to open position itllCl connected with the upper arm of said ever.

3. In a bottle handlingmeans, a substantially horizontal passage to receive a row of bottles, said passage having a front end accessible for removal of bottles, and at its rear endhaving a substantially vertical inlet throat, a substantially upright obtuseangular lever at the rear side of said throat and fulcrumed between-its ends, the lower arm of said lever being normally engaged with the rear-most of the row of bottles whereas the upper arm ofsaid lever then inclines forwardly across the throat, whereby rearward forcing of said upper arm in cident to inserting another bottle through the throat, will forwardly force the lower arm to advance the row of bottles toward said accessible end of the passage, said lower arm then occupying a forwardly declined position in the downward path of the bottle being inserted through the throat, whereby this bottle will strike said lower arm and restore" the lever to its normal position, a normally closed cover for the mouth of said throat rearwardly slidable to open position and connected with the upper arm of said wardly force the bottle to be inserted, said lever, and a support along which to rear cover being in the path of such bottle to be struck and opened by the latter, thereby actuating the lever.

4. In a bottle handling means, a substantially horizontal passage adapted to contain a row of bottles, said passage having a bottle outlet at its front end, a bottle inlet throat at its rear end, and being provided with a portion at said front end for limiting the forward movement of the row of bottles, a normally closed cover for the mouth of said throat, said cover being rearwardly slidable to open position, and a substan tially vertical obtuse-angular lever fulcrumed bet-ween its ends at the rear side of said throat, the upper arm of said lever being connected with said cover to be shifted engagement with said limiting means, where by sald lever locks said cover agalnst opening until said foremost bottle has been removed, opening of said cover being then permitted however for the introduction of an other bottle. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

SIDNEY C. GILBERT, 

